Bastion

Crafted in secret by the Bard Hjalmor Highiron for mage hunter Joren Greyhammer, Bastion is a sentient mithril and silver tower shield. Emblazoned on the center is the Greyhammer clan symbol; the balanced scales of justice set against a half-moon.

You gain a +3 bonus to AC in addition to the shield's normal bonus to AC. It has the following properties.

Superior Protection

While you have Bastion equipped, you gain the following benefits:

• You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells.
• You can't be surprised while you are conscious.
• Other creatures don’t gain advantage on attack rolls against you as a result of being unseen by you.

Bastion also functions as a Sentinel Shield and Spellguard Shield.

Quick Escape

This shield has 3 charges. While holding it, you can expend 1 charge as a bonus action to cast the Misty Step spell from it. The shield regains 1d3 expended charges daily at dawn.

Adaptive Response

Hjalmor excelled in imbuing objects with magic and crafted Bastion to reshape itself to suit Joren's needs. As a bonus action, you can will the shield to transform into one of three special configurations or back to its original form.

Brace. The edges of Bastion expand by one foot in all directions, save for the top center to allow the wielder to see and throw objects. While in this configuration you have three-quarters cover, your movement speed is halved, and the shield's magical AC bonus increases by +1 for a total bonus of +3. This in addition to the shield's normal bonus to AC. Once used, this feature cannot be used again until you’ve taken a short or long rest.

Dig In. Bastion expands up to five feet in all directions to form a solid wall and anchor itself into the ground, seamlessly conforming to its surroundings if need be. While in this configuration you no longer benefit from any AC bonus granted by the shield, magical or otherwise. Instead, the shield grants total cover from frontal attacks to the wielder and any Medium or smaller creatures standing directly behind it, and it cannot be moved, unless you use a bonus action to reconfigure its form or if it loses all of its hit points. This configuration has 100 HP and an AC of 20. When the shield takes more than 100 points of damage, it automatically reverts to its original form and falls to the ground. Once used, this configuration can’t be used again for 24 hours.

On Guard. The shield contracts to the size of a heater shield allowing for greater ease of movement. While in this configuration, the shield’s magical AC bonus drops to +1, your speed increases by 10 feet, and you have advantage on Athletics checks. Bastion can be worn on your back and still grant these benefits.

Sentience

Bastion is a sentient neutral good shield with an Intelligence of 10, a Wisdom of 16, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and truesight out to a range of 120 feet.

The shield can communicate telepathically and verbally with its wielder and can speak, read, and understand Common, Dwarvish, and Giant. It will verbally call out any enemies or creatures unseen by the wielder.

Personality

Bastion was infused with the sentience of its creator Hjamor Highiron, who was later murdered in his workshop. Though it sees Hjalmor as a separate entity to itself, it sounds and speaks just as he did: a talkative and bombastic dwarf that can't help but comment on nearly every situation.

The shield strives to protect its wielder from harm at all costs and actively looks for danger wherever it goes. Bastion is quick to accuse other creatures of harboring ill intent towards the wielder and itself, often jumping to wild conclusions at perceived slights.

Bastion values the sanctity of life and will always advocate for the protection of innocents. Conflict arises if the wielder injures an innocent creature or continuously puts their life at unnecessary risk.

Shields require the Utilize action to Don or Doff. You gain the Armor Class benefit of a Shield only if you have training with it.

Notes: Advantage: Saving Throws, Advantage: Initiative, Advantage: Perception, Bonus: Armor Class, Advantage: Dexterity Saving Throws, Fighter, Paladin, or Cleric of Good Alignment, Teleportation, Utility, Combat, Warding, Sentient